Ichika Abarai
by TeamHanyou
Summary: I'm gonna do a series of one-shots about Renji & Rukia's family life with Ichika Yay for the OTP's coming true tho. Chapter 3 is up!
1. Becoming A Father

_Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo_

Chapter 1: Becoming A Father

"Alright Renji, this is it. The day you've been waiting for, 9 months of preparation has led you up to this moment… Open the damn door!" A very flustered Renji Abarai was disturbing the peace in the 4th division on this particularly lovely day in the peaceful seireitei, standing outside of the entrance doors to the actual building of the 4th division. If Unohana had been alive, he would have been dragged in by the ear already, all included with a chillingly warm smile and soft eyes.

However, the new Captain of the 4th division is a lot more demure than her former captain had been, however her ragtag younger sister would have been all over that in place of the former Captain. Earlier on today, Renji had been doing what he does every day: working.

First he had gone to get his directions from his captain, and brother-in-law now, which is something Renji still can't wrap his head around, even after 5 years of marriage to the prideful noble's younger sister.

He had done his duties, his paperwork, and tended to his captain's errands or any needs that were required of a lieutenant, he had gone for his lunch break, and then he was getting on with the training of his squads new recruits. Simple and a normal everyday occurrence for the red haired tattooed lieutenant. Until…

"LEUITENANT! SIR!" was the resounding scream from across the training fields, which came from a very frantic looking Hanataro. After the war, Hanataro had maintained his job in the 4th division, and even though he had been through trying times with the rest of them, he had also maintained his demure, and slightly cowardice, nature.

"Stop shoutin' damn it, I'm right here" Renji grumbled at the young man, making him squeak and bow, the apologies pouring from his mouth repeatedly before getting to his news.

"I-I'm sorry Lieutenant sir, but i-it's Rukia-sama, she's given birth" By the time Hanataro had risen from his 10th bow, Renji had disappeared from his sight followed by a strong gust of wind.

The rest is history, and here he is. He hears the rustling of the bustling 4th squad members rushing about the place, healing and most definitely fussing over Rukia. Being a Captain now, and the youngest one, she is doted on by pretty much everyone in the seireitei, this only increased and spread throughout all of the divisions when she fell pregnant.

Even captain Zaraki gave his squad specific instructions to tend to her needs should she ever venture to the 11th division, and captain Kurotsuchi would nearly never allow her to stand for too long in his presence, always demanding his "imbeciles" in his squad to get a chair for her. Of course, there is no shocker that the most protecting and doting captain is her dear brother. He had bought a hell of a lot for the child, and it wasn't even here yet. Well… It's here now.

With one last breath to calm his mixture of nerves and excitement, Renji opened the door with a great thud, and made way for Rukia's room.

"Ah! Renji!" Captain Isane said her eyes already teary with a serene smile on her face and a napkin in her hand.

"Captain Kotetsu… Is she in there?" Renji said, his voice wavering slightly, motioning to the door at the right of him. Isane grimaced at the title, still not used to the formality of her position.

"Renji, we're friends… Isane is just fine" She chided softly, until nodding and gesturing for him to enter to meet his family. He smiled at her, bowed in thanks, and went in.

He saw Rukia lying on the bed, holding a bundle so wrapped up he couldn't see the contents yet, he looked into her eyes, and was amazed to see this new aura around his wife.

She had this air of serenity and empowerment, and a soft smile on her exhausted face as she met the eyes of her husband. She also looked incredibly proud, like she's showing off a new drawing before Ichigo would tell her its crap.

"Renji… Come in. Come see her" Rukia said softly, excited but obviously very tired from her hard work during birth. Renji's face immediately lights up, and his voice brightens.

"It's a girl?" He said taking a seat beside his wife, who nods and smiles at her lovers awe stricken face at the news that he has a little girl. Rukia moves the bundle slightly, propping the tiny thing up, and pushing the thick blankets down a tad to reveal a tiny pink face, with a tuft of crimson hair and dark lashes resting on adorable puffy cheeks.

Renji was completely still, just staring at his daughter, trying to wrap his head around the instant love he felt for this child that he hasn't even held yet. To him, she was completely perfect, like her mother was, but different. This was the absolute best parts of her mother and him, making her absolutely otherworldly flawless.

"Isn't she perfect?" Rukia said breathlessly, also staring into the wonderful face of her daughter.

"She's more than perfect, I have no words for it" Renji replied, a smile splitting his face as Rukia hands her to him, instructing him on how to hold her.

"She looks just like you" Rukia said softly, stroking her silky soft red hair, obviously given to her from her father. Rukia loved Renji's hair, and she was overjoyed that their daughter had received the same soft red locks that she loved even more now after seeing them on her child.

"Nah, she has my hair but her gorgeous face is all yours" He said, grinning at his wife as she blushed and slapped his arm before they both went back to staring at their beautiful child.

"I guess she's an Ichika then" Rukia giggled, referring to the names they had picked out. They had a boy name and a girl name picked out, and she was secretly glad she could use her favourite name, Ichika. A mixture between Ichigo's and Byakuya's name, honouring the two of the people her and Renji cared for the most.

"Ichika" Renji said softly, his smile shining through his voice. The baby squired in her father's arms, and her little eyelashes fluttered a few times before opening, revealing none other than her mother's large violet orbs staring up at her father. They could only stare, both revelling in the new development of seeing their daughters eyes open for the first time.

"Oh! Hi" Rukia cooed excitedly, putting a finger to her daughters soft cheek.

"Hey there Ichika" Renji said, smiling down proudly at his daughter, as if she would talk back to him.

"I wonder what she's thinking" Renji drawled, making Rukia smirk.

"Probably something like 'I really hope I didn't get my daddy's eyebrows too'" Rukia snickered, gaining a playful glare from her hot-headed husband.

"Way to kill the moment, shorty" He grumbled, before giving the baby back to her mother, putting an arm around Rukia so that she can feed their child.

They sat there, excited to get out and show her to everyone. She's like the best drawing of Rukia's life.


	2. Ichika Meets Uncle Byakuya And Friends

"Alright! We all know why I've gathered both all the Captains and their Leuitenants here today, and a few extras along who know the couple very well in order to celebrate this exciting new development" Captain Commander Kyoraku all but squealed to his fellow members of the Gotei 13.

"My friends, it's time! Earlier today, we gained a new addition to our ranks. Captain Abarai has successfully given birth to a healthy little girl, fathered by a proud Leuitenent Renji Abarai of Squad 6. Introducing the future of the soul society, Abarai Ichika!" He bellowed proudly, followed by a quarry of excited gasps and cheers.

The doors opened, followed by a beaming Renji and Rukia, and a sleeping Ichika wrapped tightly in her arms. She, along with Renji, was grinning from ear to ear as they made their way down the line of excited eyes ready to lay on the face of the new generation of soul reapers.

First up was Captain's Kurotsuchi and a newly reformed young Nemuri. Renji and Rukia stopped, a little hesistantly, offering the Captain a look at their new baby.

Nemuri tugged on her Captain's robe, and looked up at his face with wide eyes.

"What is that?" She said in a loudish, wondering voice, making her captain wince from the unneccesary volume.

"It's a baby, you fool. You began like this when I created you" He said, his voice somewhat softer than it would have been in the past. He stepped forward, looking upon the baby's face. He stared for a good minute, scanning and evaluating the child.

"Fathers hair huh" He muttered, making Renji glare at him.

"Something wrong with that?" Renji muttered back, making Rukia glare at him slightly, and he knew she was inwardly scolding him about respectful conduct to a Captain.

Before the Captain could retort, the little girl started to stir in her mother's arms, causing all eyes to gaze upon her face as her eyes fluttered open. Gazing up at the painted Captain with her mother's shining violet eyes.

"Mother's eyes" He muttered again, his eyes wide, and his voice something Rukia thought was akin to soft. Nemuri was on her tiptoes, staring at the baby in wonderment.

"She's small huh, master Mayuri?" Nemuri said, still holding onto her Captain's robe for support on her toes.

"Quite" Mayuri said, suddenly coming out of his stupor. He looked at the proud new parents and stood up straight.

"Congratulations, Captain. And you, Leuitenant Abarai, it seems as though you have finally done something useful in your lifetime, very well done" And he was back. Renji snorted, whilst Rukia bowed slightly, well… As much as the after-labour-pains allowed her to, in thanks.

"Thank you, Captain Kurotsuchi" Rukia said gracefully, and they proceeded to go down the line to Captain Hitsugaya, Captain Hirako, and of course Leuitenents Matsumoto and Hinamori.

Rangiku and Momo were nearly dying with excitement as the couple made their way over with the now cooeing and fully awake baby.

"Oh my gosh, Rukia-chan! She's so cute! Can I hold her?!" Rangiku squealed at her friends, making Rukia giggle at her eagerness.

"Me next!" Momo joined, her eyes shining as she looked at the pink cheeked, crimson haired baby.

Rukia handed Ichika over to Rangiku and Momo, whilst their two Captains looked on with blank faces at being pushed infront of.

"And we're supposed to be the superiors" Shinji muttered, looking at Toshiro.

"Women" Toshiro grumbled, looking at the two women in annoyance.

"Oh! Shiro-chan, she's almost as cute as you were when you were young" Momo squealed in delight when she finally got her turn of holding Ichika. Toshiro, of course, turned red and sputtered at his girlfriend.

"Momo!" He yelled in protest, all the while Renji and Shinji held in their laughs.

"Aw, good job Rukia-chan. Ichi-chan's gonna be a knock out when she's older, and with the help of her Aunt Ran-chan she'll break hearts all over the Seireitei. Yes she will! Yes she will ~" Rangiku cheered, cooing at the little baby.

Renji sweatdropped and piped up in defense of his daughters innocence.

"No way! No ones getting their greasy hands on my daughter. She'll be too powerful for any idiot guy to match her" Renji spoke, smug grin and arms crossed.

"Oh yeah, judging by the parents she'll be a force to be reckoned with" Shinji said with a smile, boosting the parents ego by a thousand.

"Of course she will!" Rukia said, taking back her little girl and hugging her close, an ear splitting smile across the new mothers face.

They moved on to, in Rukia's opinion, the most important person in the line, besides the head captain himself, of course.

"Nii-sama… May I present our daughter to you… Your niece" Rukia said softly, Renji standing beside her at all times. Rukia moved her arms so that her brother could get a clear view of her baby. The child looked straight up at her uncle's stoic face, bright violet orbs met stormy grey ones as they stared at each other.

It was silent for a long while, the room filled with nothing but peaceful air as the family had their moment in the noble way.

Rukia looked worriedly to her husband, who had his eyes set on his Captain calmly. Knowing the way his Captain thinks and acts, more so than Rukia, who was worried and tense at her brothers reaction. She began to panic.

"Rukia" His deep baritone voice suddenly cut through her thoughts and blew them to a stop.

"N-Nii-sama?" She asked in a small voice, almost frightened to make much noise.

"Each time I believe that I could not be any more proud of you than I currently am, you prove me wrong" He said, his voice going that little bit softer, but still as strong and noble as ever.

Rukia's eyes began to fill with tears, and they spilled over her porcelain face, and made dew drops on her long, thick lashes.

"Thank you, Nii-sama" She all but sobbed, bowing her head and leaning against Renji, who was smiling serenely.

"Congratulations, Lieutenant Abarai" He said formally, to which Renji nodded and thanked him for.

"W-would you like to hold her, Nii-sama?" Rukia said through her soft sobs of joy, to which Byakuya didn't quite know how to respond. He looked to Renji, to which he nodded firmly, grinning proudly, an arm around his sore and tearful wife.

"I would be honoured" And with that, the baby was gently placed into the waiting arms of Byakuya. He admired her eyes, which he saw more of Hisana in than even Rukias own violet orbs, glad that her obviously family characteristic has been kept throughout the generations of Hisanas family.

He also admired the crimson hair, which was just a shade darker than her fathers, giving it a lovely shine which he thought was as beautiful as all of the roses in his gardens. He admired his little niece silently as she smiled up at him, gurgling softly and reaching her hands around the ends of his hair and grasping his robes.

Rukia stood there, arm in arm with Renji, looking on proudly at her brother and darling daughter, seeing the rarest smile on her brothers face and the cheeky grin of her daughter made her feel like she was floating on air. It made her feel so proud, as if this was the greatest thing she had ever accomplished in her entire life. She couldn't believe she had gone this long without Ichika in her life, even though she had only been properly in it for no more than 12 hours. Not even a full day and she couldn't bare to be without her.

Eventually, Byakuya relinquished his hold on his niece, and handed her back to Rukia, bidding her a further congratulations and "see you at the manor" which she interpreted as a "bring her to me later so I can hold her more".

They moved downward, to the rest of the waiting Captains and Lieutenants, and a few more of their friends, including the fearsome squad 11 Captain and his subordinates, Lieutenant Madarame and 4th seat Ayasegawa. Along with Squad 4, whom Captain Kotetsu had decided to bring along her sister and Hanataro to see the baby, even though they had already seen her in the delivery room a few hours after she had given birth. They had already showered the baby with presents and well wishes, and lots of cuddles.

"Cute kid Renji" Ikkaku said, unable to resist the cuteness of the new baby girl.

"Why, she's absolutely beautiful! Perhaps more so than me, it's almost impossible that an ugly brute like you managed to father such a sweet gem, Renji" Yumichika babbled, positively in love with the new child. He was instantly whacked upside the head by Renji as a reply.

In reply, the baby started to wail, much to the horror of the three stooges, and Rukia herself who, been a new mother, had not had to deal with this yet.

"God dammit, Renji! You upset her!" Rukia snapped, struggling to get her child to be happy once more.

"I-it wasn't my fault! These two are the ones who were being idiots and disturbed her!" Renji protested, waving his hands about the air, panicking along with his wife.

"Hey! What did I do?!" Ikkaku yelled indignantly. The three began fussing over the child, stressing both the child and Rukia out even more.

Before anyone could step in to help, the goliath of a Captain stepped forward.

"Can I hold her?" He asked, his giant hands held out for the baby, making the men faint and Rukia to freeze like a deer in the headlights.

"C'mon, I used to have a kid… Sorta" Kenpachi said, scratching his head at the thought of what Yachiru actually was. The child was still wailing, and before Rukia could say anything, Kenpachi had gently taken the baby from her grasp.

The parents watched in horror as the giant Kenpachi of Zaraki brought the baby girl up against his shoulder, one hand holding her up by her legs and the other rubbing circles on her back softly.

Rukia was dumbfounded, whilst Renji, along with Ikkaku and Yumichika, were floored.

The child ceased her crying and began to play with the bells attached to the Captains hair, and soon she was cooing and giggling along whilst she played with her new giant friend.

"C-Captain Zaraki, that was amazing!" Rukia beamed, looking up to Kenpachi in awe as he handled their child professionally.

"Tch, Yachiru used to be the same. Whenever she'd get fussy I'd just pitch her up here and she'd be fine after a while" Kenpachi said, showing his shark-like teeth in a grin at the young mother, which terrified the men, but warmed the mothers heart.

"Thank you!" Rukia said cheerfully as her fellow Captain handed the baby back to her after a little more time of holding her.

"Don't mention it. Congrats, you've finally made a man outta Renji" Kenpachi growled, grinning at Renji who was still in a frozen stupor.

"Y-yeah" He muttered, unable to recover.

They moved on from… Whatever that was, and came to the last few people waiting to meet their little one.

Soifon held her for a while, absolutely refusing to let Lieutenant Omaeda near the girl.

"We don't want you catching idiocy from that big lump of lard now, do we?" She cooed to the little baby, all the while crushing her Lieutenants face under her foot.

Captain Soifon also gave the little girl a stuffed plushie of a black cat, saying that it will bring her good fortune to have a plushie modelled after one of the greatest Shinigami of the Soul Society.

Captain Otoribashi was gushing over the small baby offering her heaps of gifts and compliments, and Lieutenant Izuru congratulated his friend Renji proudly on their new addition.

Captain Tetsuzaemon Iba tried to convince Rukia to let him put sunglasses on the child, saying it would make her look cooler.

His offer was declined.

Captain Yadomaru was, like all the females of the Gotei 13, absolutely delighted with the baby, eager to hold her and compliment Rukia on her successful birth and carry.

"Excuse me, I helped ya know" Renji said, irritated that Rukia was getting all of the credit.

"Oh please, what did you do other than provide the sperm? Basically no work at all, you lazy bum" Lisa scolded, making Rukia smirk at Renji and Renji to sulk behind her. He wasn't stupid enough to take on any woman, nevermind two Captains.

"Ahhhhh Kensei! Look at the baby~" Lieutenant Mashiro piped up when they made their way over. They didn't have a choice really as Mashiro had been yelling "Us next! Us next!" for the past half an hour.

"Pretty cute, huh Captain?" Lieutenant Hiragi added, smiling down at the baby that was now in Mashiro's arms.

"Yeah, congratulations you two" Kensei said coolly, bowing his head slightly in recognition.

"Ooooo Kensei, look! She's smiling at me! Can we have one?" Mashiro said excitedly, looking up questionably at her Captain.

If Kensei was drinking water, it would be all over the hall by now.

"W-what?!" He stuttered, alarmed at the sudden question.

"Come on, we can make one of these easy peasy" Mashiro chirped, making Shuhei and Renji blush and Kensei to pale.

"Alrighty, we'll leave you to it" Renji said, taking the baby from Shuhei, as she had been passed on by Mashiro inbetween the whole "can we make one" debate.

Finally, the young parents rested at the top of the meeting hall, standing infront of their Head Captain, Shunsui Kyoraku and Lieutenants Nanao Ise and Genshiro Okikiba. Nanao, who was trying her best to be formal in the very important ceremony, was smiling at her friends and fellow (former in Rukia's case) Lieutenants as they carried their child to them.

Shunsui was barely containing himself as he caught sight of the little baby giggling and cooing up at her father, his excitement overwhelming his duty to be serious.

Both the parents went to bow low in respect, but Shunsui stopped them.

"Ah-ah, no need. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself there Rukia-chan, seeing as your body has been through a tough time already" He said kindly, waving a casual hand at them to relax.

The couple responded with a very dutiful "yes sir" and a proud smile at their Captain.

"Can I see her?" Shunsui said excitedly, near enough jumping up and down on the tips of his toes. Rukia and Renji smiled at each other, before Renji stepped forward with his daughter in his arms to meet the Head Captain.

"Head Captain sir, may I present my daughter. Ichika Abarai" Renji said proudly, his voice clear and strong as he introduces his daughter to his commanding officer.

Shunsui smiled at the proud father, and bent his face down to Ichika's eye level.

"Why, hello there little one. Aren't you a beauty?" Shunsui said in glee, whilst the baby looked into his eye, melting his heart.

"Ichi-chan, your name reminds me of someone y'know, someone really great. You have very strong parents you know, and you're gonna be brought up by a great family, with lots of uncles and aunts. They all came here to see you, as you've kept us all waiting for some time now. Ne, Ichi-chan, when you're old enough, uncle Shunsui will take you to your first bar_"

"That's quite enough of that!" Shunsui was cut off by a whack to the head by a very dominant looking Nanao.

"Don't worry sweetheart, I won't let that rouge lead you astray… I will also protect you from Rangiku as your idiot head captain here will more than likely team up with her to sneak you out to a bar" Nanao cooed to the little girl, receiving a whine from both Shunsui and Rangiku.

The baby just giggled in delight at the sight of the silly man being knocked down by an strict little woman. Rukia sweat dropped, and thanked Nanao for looking out for her, and also apologised to the head captain for being on Nanao's side.

"Awh, do you have to be so mean to your husband, Nanao-chan?" Shunsui whined; now up from his place on the ground, rubbing his now swollen head.

"When at work we are simply fellow shinigami under professional circumstances… I will tend to you once we're off the clock" She said in her usual professional voice, though the last part made Shunsui gleam with joy, the majority of the room suddenly felt their faces flush at the intimate indication.

"May I?" Shunsui asked, getting back to business. Renji and Rukia both nodded knowingly, and Renji gently handed the baby over to their head captain, whilst he closed the ceremony.

Holding the baby up in his arms for the rest of the room to see, Shunsui proudly finished the welcoming ceremony grandly.

"Here it is, the future of the Gotei 13 and the next generation in a line of successful and strong shinigami, we will help to guide her in the right path to help her become a fine shinigami that protects the souls of the living and her comrades of the Gotei 13, and the fellow souls of the Seireitei. I give you Abarai Ichika, the daughter of Captain Rukia Kuchiki-Abarai, and Lieutenant Renji Abarai, Niece of Captain and the head of the Kuchiki Clan, Byakuya Kuchiki, and the next generation of the name Kuchiki" He proclaimed proudly, followed by the celebratory cheers and yells from the room of Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13, as they come together to celebrate the first child born in the Seireitei for over a thousand years.

To many in the Gotei 13, this child was a symbol of what they had fought for after the many wars they had seen and fought together. They were looking forward to seeing her grow and helping her become a fellow shinigami.


	3. Ichika's First Word (can you guess?)

"Chaaa" Rukia said slowly, enunciating each sound that passes through her mouth as she sits in front of her 2 year old daughter.

"Caaa" Ichika gurgled, clapping her hands before chewing on them.

"Yes! Good girl, good girl Ichika! Okay, now the last part! Peeee~" Rukia said excitedly, a pure look of determination in her eyes as she stares at her toddler.

"pee" Ichika giggled, whilst her mother nearly cried in happiness.

"Oh! You're so clever, and now… All together, you can do it!" Rukia encouraged, her fist pumping in the air to root the little baby on. The baby stared at her mother with that same similar look of determination across her little face, her brow farmiliarly creased as she opened her mouth.

 _Here it comes! Her first word, I can feel it! Here we go, come on baby, you can do it!_

"Caappee" Rukia's face dropped, her mouth gaped open in amazement, and her eyes filled with tears as she swept up her little girl in an instant, spinning her around in joy.

"ICHIKA, WELL DONE MY BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL!" Rukia wailed, positively delighted that she had managed to teach her daughter her first word, the best word on the planet.

"I can't wait to show your Tou-chan!" Rukia said in glee, knowing just how much this was gonna irk Renji, but thrill him at the same time.

"To-can" the little voice popped up again… Rukia couldn't believe it as she stared at Ichika wide eyed and, once again, gaping. And they were spinning in joy again, Ichika's delighted giggles filling the Squad 13 barracks.

"Oh! You're so clever, my amazing daughter! You're gonna be top of your classes when you go to the academy!" Rukia gushed, rubbing her cheek against her daughters chubby one.

"Oo! Can you say Okaa-chan?" Rukia said enthusiastically, to which Ichika tilted her head for a second before announcing with a proud grin.

"Ta-can" A toothy grin was given in response to Rukia's joyful teary praises and hugs. She immediately rushed out of her office to find people, anyone who she could show her daughters new skills off to.

After stopping around six of her subordinates and showing them Ichika's new words, receiving praises and plenty of attention for her amazing daughter, she sped off to the squad 6 barracks in search of her husband.

As always, she found her husband and her brother completing paperwork in their office. In fact, both the Captain and Lieutenant were increasingly busy with heaps and heaps of paperwork which they did not care to be interrupted on, and even notified the 3rd and 4th seats to not allow anyone to enter the office whilst they complete their tasks. That is, until they heard a worthy visitor.

"I'm sorry Captain, but Captain Kuchiki told us not to allow anyone to disturb them why their so busy" The frantic voice of the poor 3rd seat said from outside of the door, which Rukia would normally have listened to with great respect, if the circumstances weren't so dire.

"I'm sorry, but they just _have_ to see this, it's something important which cannot be delayed" Rukia said with an equally frantic but excited voice.

As the sound of his wife's voice captured the attention of the busy Lieutenant, Renji snapped his head towards the door.

"Rukia?" He said, a pang of worry in his voice at the sound of her voice.

"Enter" Byakuya commanded, to which Rukia flew through the door immedietly after hearing her brothers word.

"Rukia, is there something the matter?" Byakuya asked, worry in his eyes but his face and voice remained calm and stoic, as always.

"It's Ichika_" Rukia began, only to be cut off by the alarmed faces of both the men and Renji.

"Is something wrong with Ichika?" The doting father asked, standing up from his desk.

"No, no nothing's wrong! It's wonderful, watch watch!" Rukia scrambled over her words, before setting Ichika on her brothers desk and motioning for Renji to gather with them to watch.

"Alright Ichika, here we go! Show Tou-chan and Uncle Byakuya what you learned to do!" Rukia said excitedly, her face beaming at her daughter, eager to hear her sweet little voice again.

Renji, clicking on to what Rukia was trying to show them, gasped and leaned in close to their daughter, almost nose to nose with his little one.

 _Her first word?! Is it Tou-chan? I bet it's Tou-chan! That's why Rukia sped over here to show me, my little girl's first word is Tou-chan3333_

"Cappee!" The toddler squealed in delight, clapping her hands which she had learned was the appropriate response after talking due to her mother. Rukia clapped and hugged her daughter close, gushing at how clever she was and how wonderful her first word was.

"Isn't it amazing, Nii-sama?!" She squealed, to which Byakuya nodded in approval, patting his niece lightly on the head, earning a toothy grin from her.

"Good job, Ichika" He praised.

Renji was frozen in place. His face blank and unreadable, as if he'd seen a ghost. Rukia smirked and beamed cheerfully up at him.

"Isn't it great Renij? Her first word and it's Chappy, aren't you proud?" Rukia beamed brightly, enjoying her husband's dismay.

"Chappy" Renji growled, glaring down at Rukia.

"Freakin' Chappy?!" He almost shouted, to which Rukia smirked and Byakuya grimaced at the vulgar language in front of his darling niece.

"Of course" Rukia said smugly, her arms folded in triumph.

"I didn't think you were serious when you said her first word would be Chappy!" Renji protested, to which Rukia laughed.

"You fool, if there are two things in this world that I am deadly serious about, it's our daughter and Chappy" Rukia said in a matter-of-fact tone. Renji growled, about to go on a huge rant rampage at his wife, until he heard his darling baby girl chirp something else at him.

"To-can"

The remainder of the day was spent in the office teaching Ichika new words, with Renji crying every time she said Tou-chan and Rukia following suit everytime she said Chappy.

"Bakuba" Ichika gurgled, smiling up at her uncle.

"We must work on it" Byakuya told his niece whilst bouncing her lightly on his knee.


End file.
